EMTA director to stay on-board during search for replacement

Mike Tann has led the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority for the last four years. But Monday, he officially called it quits, days after he submitted his resignation to the EMTA Board of Directors.

Tann will now take over as the transit director for the City of Wichita, Kansas.

"Part of my with them has always been that I would give them 90 days notice," Tann said. "I will be providing 90 days worth of support to them."

The board will use that time to conduct a national search. Several board members said they were blindsided by Tann's resignation, which comes during the EMTA's massive $60 million, multi-year expansion project.

"We'll have our solicitor work with a company that does national searches strictly for transit authorities," said EMTA Board Chairman Gary Grack.

Monday's meeting was merely a formality, but the real works lies ahead. Construction on the $37 million Phase II of the project includes a large-bus storage area; a new administrative building that will replace the existing headquarters. That will be completed this August.

"They'll have to tear down our building. It sort of moves to the west," Tann said. "What's being built now is about 60 percent."

Phase I was finished and unveiled in Oct. 2015.

It also includes a 3 1/2, 350-space parking deck with retail space and a new fueling station. That's scheduled to be complete by Aug. 2019.

Erie News Now asked Tann about his legacy, which will include the massive expansion project. But that's only part of it. For him, it's also about the expanded service to other parts of Erie County.

"We go down to Corry every day now. We'll be going to Albion every day starting in about a month," he said. "So we've been very fortunate, it's been a good period for us."

So far, there are no leading candidates to replace Tann, Grack said. The search committee will include four EMTA board members and their attorney, he added.

The fundraiser is among GE’s largest, giving generous support to children in our community. But with the size of the workforce shrinking at Erie GE Transportation, there are concerns about the loss of their charitable efforts.

The fundraiser is among GE’s largest, giving generous support to children in our community. But with the size of the workforce shrinking at Erie GE Transportation, there are concerns about the loss of their charitable efforts.

Father David Poulson, 64, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Cambridge Springs, and Father Sean Kerins, 27, chaplain at Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage, have been prohibited from any public ministry, as well as from any contact with minors.

Father David Poulson, 64, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Cambridge Springs, and Father Sean Kerins, 27, chaplain at Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage, have been prohibited from any public ministry, as well as from any contact with minors.